Kent College Dubai

Kent College Dubai (KCD), a sister school of Kent College Canterbury in England, is situated in Nad Al Sheba Dubai. KCD started its operation in 2016, and today it offers education till Year 13. Over a short time, KCD has established a positive reputation with parents because of its association with KC Canterbury.

The school offers British education from the Foundation Stage (FS) to senior school. This private and co-educational campus has over 800 students from 71 countries. They are taught by 80 teachers and 20 teaching assistants, making the teacher-to-student ratio 1:10. KCD also has 79 students of determination as per the KHDA’s inclusive framework.

The first Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspection was performed in 2018 – 2019. Kent College Dubai private school was rated ‘Good’ – a notable achievement for a school on its very first rating.

Read this guide by Bayut to learn more about the school.

The nearest family-friendly communities include:

• Liwan
• Dubai Silicon Oasis
• Dubai Academic City
• The Villa

Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) is the closest neighbourhood to the school. DSO is a mixed-use project with high-end residential and commercial places in Dubai.

Families who wish to live near the school can consider:

• Apartments for rent near Kent College Dubai
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Kent College Dubai’s Campus has an L-shaped building on 53 sq.m land. Here, one can find an impressive range of amenities, including a 458-seater auditorium, sports fields and a shaded play area. The Foundation Stage and junior school share the same building, while the senior section has a separate building.

The school has three libraries for FS, junior and senior sections. The campus also has science labs, design technology workshops and food and nutrition labs. Besides these, there are ICT suites for junior and senior sections, a senior school inclusion room, four junior school intervention rooms and a well-being room.

For enrichment programmes, one can find specialist rooms for Drama, Art, Music, Technology and Dance. Sports is also an integral part of this programme, and the campus has plenty of resources to offer. An indoor sports hall is available for badminton, basketball, and similar games. KCD has an athletic track, two swimming pools, and three play areas for outdoor sports. Not only this, but students can also play cricket, rugby and football on 4G pitches.

Kent College Dubai’s location is Al Abjar Street in Nad Al Sheba 2, Dubai. The school is close to Dubai – Al Ain Road (E66).

Kent College Dubai stands out because of its sister school in Canterbury, England, almost 135 years old and has been rated ‘Outstanding’ numerous times.

KCD is one of the few schools in Dubai that attained an outstanding rating in their first inspection. It offers the National Curriculum of the UK on campus with top-tier facilities. Also, the school is acknowledged for its use of technology and innovative teaching methods.

Another feather in the cap of this school is its experienced teaching staff. All teachers at Kent College Dubai, Nad Al Sheba, have international degrees and vast experience.

Finally, Kent College Dubai, Nad Al Sheba runs a pastoral care service that prioritises students’ mental and emotional wellness besides physical well-being.

Following the National Curriculum of England, KC Dubai offers education from the Foundation Stage until the Sixth Form.

Foundation Stage

Kent College Dubai follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Programme. It helps teachers in the learning, development and care of children.

The EYFS framework focuses on play-based activities to help students adapt to the school environment. Children can choose the activities of their choice, which helps them with confidence.

The seven key areas of development are reinforced in FS1 and FS2. These include:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal social and emotional development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the world
• Expressive arts

Furthermore, four themes are observed in the Early Year Foundation stage for planning, observation and assessment of students. These include:

1. A unique child
2. Positive relationships
3. Enabling environments
4. Learning and development

Junior School (Key Stage 1 and 2)

Kent College Dubai follows formal teaching methods from Key Stage 1. Students also participate in extra-curricular activities, especially those related to numeracy and literacy.

Additionally, specialised learning centres such as a Science lab, food technology room, art room, PSHE room, design and technology room and a primary library are available to students.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 includes Year 7 to Year 9. Since the students enter the first phase of senior school, the curriculum builds the foundation for courses that students take in their GCSEs.

Additionally, students are taught to develop work ethics and independent thinking at this stage.

Subjects offered include English, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Arabic, Islamic Studies, French or Spanish, History, Geography, Design and Technology, Art, Music, Drama, PE and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education).

Key Stage 4

At this stage, students appear for the General Certificate of Secondary Examination (GCSEs) in six to 12 subjects.
Core courses in KS4 are:

• English (Language and Literature)
• Mathematics
• Biology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Islamic Studies
• PSHE

Please note that Islamic Studies and PSHE are non-examined subjects.
Optional subjects are:

• Geography
• History
• ICT,
• Music
• Physical Education
• Spanish
• French
• Drama
• Design Technology
• Art and Design
• Business Studies
• Arabic

Sixth Form

Sixth Form students appear for Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) Level examinations.
Students should have 4 B/ level 6 grades and 2 C/ level 5 grades in their GCSE for AS-Level admissions. English language (first language) and Mathematics are the two compulsory subjects.
Subjects offered in A-Levels are:

• Arabic
• Art and Design
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• Design Technology
• Drama
• English Literature
• French
• Geography
• History
• Maths
• Further Maths
• Music
• Physical Education
• Physics
• Psychology
• Spanish

Please note that there is a 20-pupil cap for classes in senior school. This ensures that each student gets the most attention from the teacher in the classroom.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspects schools in Dubai. It evaluates their performance based on a six-point scale, as shown below.

Kent College Dubai’s KHDA rating for 2023 - 2024 is 'Very Good'.

Like other British schools in Dubai, Kent College Dubai’s academic calendar starts in August. The calendar is divided into three terms.

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December. It is followed by a three-week winter break.
• After the winter break, the second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the last week of March. Students then go on a two-week spring break.
• The third term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July.

Kent College Dubai’s admission is open all year round. It is divided into three stages – Registration, Assessment and Acceptance to simplify the process.

Registration

The admissions process starts with online registration.  Following this, parents will have to pay a registration fee of AED 500 and bring along the following documents:

• Copies of the last two school reports or a nursery report (only in English)
• A copy of the applicant’s passport, UAE residence visa, Emirates ID card and birth certificate
• Four passport-size pictures of the applicant (White background)
• A copy of the applicant’s immunisation record
• A copy of parents’ passport, UAE residence visa, Emirates ID card and birth certificate

Assessment

Assessments are usually carried out on campus. However, overseas students can opt for the assessment on their current school campus. The school also encourages prospective students in Dubai to visit the school on Monday before the entrance test. Assessments are arranged when parents pay the dues and submit the required documents.

• Foundation Stage students have their assessments from January to March in small groups. Students are assessed for school readiness.
• The deputy head or head of the junior section will meet students applying for Years 1 and 2. They will be assessed for age-appropriate reading, writing and mathematics skills.
• Students applying in Years 3 to 6 will have to sit for a 60 to 90-minute computerised abilities assessment (CAT4) and submit a writing sample.
• Students in the secondary stage need to sit a 90-minute CAT4 assessment and submit a writing sample. They also need to meet the Deputy Head or Head of the Senior School.
• Students joining the Sixth Form will have to submit their GCSE results.

Acceptance

Parents have to sign the paperwork and deposit the fee within four weeks of the start of school to confirm a place. They also need to complete the KHDA registration within the same period.

For KHDA registration, parents need to submit a transfer certificate (for Years 1 to 12) and valid Emirates IDs of themselves and their children. They must also sign the KHDA Parent-School Contract. The admission office will provide further details on how transfer certificates must be attested.

Nevertheless, parents must ensure that their children meet the following age criteria before initiating the admission process.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: KHDA

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Here’s the Kent College Dubai fees structure for the current academic year is:

Some extra charges are:

• A non-refundable registration fee of AED 500 (due upon registration)
• Upon acceptance of the admission offer, up to 10% of the annual fee will have to be paid, later deducted from the first-term fees.
• A re-registration deposit of up to 5% of annual fees confirms a seat in the next academic year.

Discount Policy

Kent College Dubai has multiple discounts to ease parents. However, you cannot get more than one discount at a time.

• A 15% corporate discount on tuition fees is for families working for partner firms. The discount is available till July 2021 and is renewable upon mutual agreement between the partner and the  Emirates Airline, Fly Dubai and ICE/MHK Group have separate corporate discount agreements with the school.
• A 10% sibling discount is available to parents on the second sibling, a 15% discount on the third sibling and a 20% discount on the fourth or more siblings.
• Senior students can apply for the Kent Scholarship (discussed later in this section).

Fees Payment

Kent College Dubai fee is payable in three parts. The first instalment has to be paid by August 1, second instalment by December 1 and third instalment by March 1.

Kent College Dubai has a scholarship program only for senior school students. Under this program, students can get a 50% concession on the KHDA-approved annual tuition fee for two years.
Students can apply for scholarships in four categories, which are:

• Academic Achievement
• Music and Performing Arts
• Sporting Excellence
• Arabic Language Studies

Please note that the Arabic Language Studies scholarship is open to both native and non-native speakers.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for current and prospective students are:

• Show remarkable performance in academics
• Have been the leader in their academic, extra-curricular activity or community work
• Take part in extra-curricular activities
• Successfully meet the criteria for a specific award
• Have shown commitment towards the school and the community
• Have endorsed the vision, mission and values of the school

Additional Offerings

Deserving students get a 50% discount on their tuition fee and a Personalised Performance Pathway. Besides, these students can enjoy other perks, some of which are:

• Academic scholars are given a one-on-one tutorship with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Performing Arts scholars get a one-on-one meeting and guidance from a member of the Performing Arts Team. Also, they get the chance to attend master classes and summer school. They can also receive a scholarship from Urdang International – one of the most prestigious Performing Arts academies in the UK.
• Athletic scholars receive mentorship and guidance from Sports specialists. They also join Excellence Pathway and attend individual and team-based skill mastery sessions. These sessions are supported by sports, nutrition, psychological preparation and strength and conditioning.
• Arabic scholars will be part of one-on-one mentorship sessions with the Arabic Language Team. They attend summer school in schools and universities.

You can start the application process by submitting the form, an essay and supporting documents.

The KCD school encourages children to make healthy choices when bringing lunch from home as well as when buying a cooked meal from the kitchen. They can have lunch in the EYFS building.

KC Dubai outsources transport services to School Transport Services (STS) LLC. All STS drivers are highly trained and have valid driving licenses. They also participate in ongoing customer care and driver’s training courses. Each year, the drivers go through a 30-hour Safe Driving course.

All the buses are well-equipped with GPS trackers and video surveillance. The routes cover five major areas, including Jumeirah, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Silicon Oasis, The Villa and Arabian Ranches.

In case a student is absent, parents must inform the driver and the school beforehand. If there’s a change in the drop-off location, parents are advised to extend a written request to the school in advance. For covered areas and a breakdown of transportation fees, please click here.

Aquatix Dubai arranges a winter camp at the Kent College Dubai and Horizon International School. Children willing to participate in this camp will have to pay AED 150 for a day and AED 600 for a week.

Children will have the opportunity to participate in ECA champions Karate, badminton, triathlon training and Aquatix swimming.

Interested students will be glad to see the sports facilities that the school has arranged for them. Students can play sports like basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton, table tennis and gymnastics in the large sports hall designed for junior and senior schools. Foundation stage children have their own sports hall beside the three play areas.

Besides that, you will find two swimming pools. There are 4G cricket, rugby and football pitches and an athletic track.

The extra-curricular programme is a vital component of schooling at Kent College Dubai. The programme allows students to explore and engage in various experiences. These activities are divided into four categories — sports, academic, performance and creative.

KCD arranges local and international trips to help students understand various cultures. Students visited Legoland Park, Al Ain Museum and Dubai Butterfly Garden in the UAE. Whereas, students went on an international trip to Borneo Island.

After-school care is available for junior and senior section students. Junior school children have their after-school sessions from 02:30 pm to 03:20 pm. While senior students have their session from 03:20 pm to 04:30 pm.

The school has two small clinics that full-time nurses manage. Parents must provide details on their child’s allergies, medical conditions and prescription medications.

KCD, Nad Al Sheba, maintains health records for each student. In case of minor accidents, students are provided first aid at the school. In severe case, the school takes the student to the nearest hospital via ambulance.

KCD realises the value of involving parents in children’s academic life. Hence, it has established a Parent and Friend Association (PFA) to expose students to enriching experiences. KCB PFA allows parents to be a part of the organising team.

Also, there’s a parent portal for parents to view their child’s performance and attendance. The portal lists all past and upcoming school events. All they have to do is to login via the given credentials.

You can also be a part of the grade-specific WhatsApp group and receive instant notifications.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-318-0700
• Emails
  • General Enquiries: info@kentcollege.ae
  • Admission Enquiries: admissions@kentcollege.ae
• Website
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Note that the cover image belongs to Kent College Dubai.